A Return to Yancy Street
by penny3
Summary: When Ben Grimm walks his dog Griswald down Yancy Street, there's an encounter with the Yancy Street Gang. Will Ben have to give up his dog, or will he be able to keep him? Please R&R.
1. Ben and Griswald

**Marvel owns the Fantastic Four and the Yancy Street Gang. My friend Shane created Griswald, but he gave me permission to write a story featuring his canine character. The URL to his story is on my profile. **

**A Return to Yancy Street**

Ben Grimm felt bored beyond belief. He couldn't find anything on tv, didn't feel like reading any of the books or movies in his collections, and when he tried to get in contact with his friends, there was no response. Reed and Sue had gone out to go shopping, and Johnny was on a date, which left Ben all alone in Four Freedoms Plaza. He sat back in his easy chair and closed his eyes.

"What a revoltin' development!" Ben muttered to himself. "This can't be happening to me. I'm the Idol O' Millions, the ever-lovin', blue-eyed Thing. There must be something for me to do, but there isn't. I almost wish there were a villain for the FF to battle. Then I'd have something to do with my time."

A couple of minutes went by, when a bark sounded nearby. When it didn't illicit a response, more barking occurred. This caused Ben to open his eyes. Griswald, a brown dog with blue eyes, sat down at Ben's feet. A leash was near the dog.

"Hiya Griswald. I thought you were a figment of my imagination or sumthin'. It's hard to believe the Yancy Streeters actually did something nice for me."

Griswald looked into Ben's eyes, and almost appeared to smile. The 2-year old dog had been part of a plot by the Yancy Street Gang, to trick and publicly humiliate the Thing in front of a lot of people. Ben had been humiliated all right, wearing a ballerina tutu on a stage of ballerina dancers, after believing Griswald could talk. However, the Yancy Streeters failed to put into account that Ben Grimm would become Griswald's new owner, which made the experience seem less humiliating when Ben looked back on it.

Ben got out of his easy chair, and sat down in front of Griswald. The dog barked some more, then carried the leash over to Ben's lap. Immediately afterwards, Griswald jumped into Ben's lap and licked his face. This caused Ben to start laughing.

"C'mon Griz, quit it. You're such a silly dog, jumpin' around like that getting some licks in all the while. Y'know, I never did think I'd have a pet while bein' a member of the FF, but then you came into my life."

Ben stopped talking and picked up the leash. "Griz, do you want to go for a walk?" he asked, dangling the leash in front of him. "Mebbe I should bring Griswald for a walk down Yancy Street," he thought to himself. "The 'ol gang must've taken good care of him, since he already knows tricks without my help. On the other hand, the Yancy Street Gang didn't seem like the type of people to take care of animals when I was a member. What should I do?"

Griswald grabbed the other end of the leash with his teeth and gave it a slight tug. This signal indicated the dog did want to go on a walk. Ben then picked up Griswald and sat in his chair again. He attached the leash to Griswald, and headed towards his living quarters. While there, Ben removed his hat and coat from his closet and put them on. After the disguise was complete, Ben felt ready to take his dog on a walk.


	2. Fruity Boy and Zanester

While Ben wondered where to walk his dog, two young men walked around Yancy Street, talking to each other. One had sandy blonde hair, the other had red hair.

"I tell ya, we have all the luck," the red-haired man said. The Yancy Street Gang knew him as Fruity Boy. "We embarrass the big lug, but then he gets Griswald!"

"What are ya complaining about?" Zanester asked. "Ya knew we'd be givin' up that dog sooner or later. We needed Griswald for our prank. It's not like ya actually actually cared for the mutt, right?"

Fruity Boy shrugged. "I don't know Zanester. I'm the guy who trained him. Everyone in the gang pitched in to feed him with pizzas. Do ya think Griswald remembers me?"

"Are ya sellin' out? Do ya want out of the gang Fruity Boy?"

"Of course not! I'm not selling out. I'd just like to see Griswald again, for one last time. Just don't tell nobody else, okay?"

Zanester glanced around him, making sure he couldn't be overheard. "I never thought I'd admit to this, but yeah, I miss the mutt too. Okay, I won't tell nobody. I doubt you'll see Griswald anytime soon though. He's the Thing's pet now, and that orange lump of lard hasn't been by here in a long time."

Fruity Boy and Zanester continued walking, but stopped talking. They were supposed to be tough guys, but through their conversation revealed that they have feelings too. To a Yancy Streeter though, this is a personal weakness.


	3. memories

Griswald felt happy when Ben led him outside Four Freedoms Plaza and headed towards the sidewalk. He loved these walks with his new owner. So many sights to see, so many smells! Best of all, Griswald loved the feel of the sun on his fur.

Living with Ben was lots of fun, though sometimes Griswald remembered Fruity Boy and missed him. Othertimes, he couldn't tell whether or not the Yancy Streeter truly had cared about him. Although the Yancy Street Gang had taken good care of him, in the end they deserted the dog for something called "The Gag". If Ben hadn't had decided to become Griswald's new owner, the poor mutt would've been out on his own again.

During the first couple of minutes in the walk, some kids approached Griswald and wanted to pet him. Griswald liked this, and so did Ben. In fact, Ben always sounded cheerful when people asked him questions.

"My dog's name is Griswald. Go ahead, you can pet him. Griz doesn't bite. He's a friendly dog."

Griswald always felt confused though, whenever someone acted scared of his owner. What was there to be frightened of? Ben made sure that Griswald had plenty of food and water, petted him, and overall treated the dog nicely.

Ben made a turn at Central Park. Griswald remembered the place well, especially when they came across the hotdog stand. A slightly fat guy with dark black hair cooked the hotdogs just the way people wanted them.

"Hiya Ben. It's been awhile since I've last seen you!" he called out.

"The Fantastic Four's been kinda busy lately. Haven't had time for the usual walk."

"Do you want the regular, Ben?"

"Yeah, gimme the super-delux hotdog, with the works. I'm gonna split it with Griz."

Griswald could smell the hotdog cooking, and all the ingredients placed on top of it (relish, ketchup, onions, just to name a few). He jumped up and down and barked happily, impatient to eat his share of the food. Griswald grew a taste of hotdogs after eating the one Ben gave him when the two met.

"Griswald must really love them hotdogs," the hotdog vender said, with laughter in his voice.

"Tell me about it. Sometimes he'll try to eat my half when I've only taken two bites."

Griswald continued to jump around and bark, until finally the super-delux hotdog was complete.

"Settle down Griz, settle down. Here you go," Ben said, breaking the hotdog in half. Griswald gobbled down his share and sat on his haunches, begging for the rest.

"No Griz, you've already eaten." Once Ben finished eating his hotdog half, he took a firm hold on Griswald's leash and walked out of the park.

Griswald assumed they'd return home, but Ben went in a different location. The location being Yancy Street, though it took awhile for the dog to recognize it.

"Does any of this luck familiar to ya? The Yancy Street Gang were your previous owners," Ben stated sadly. As he walked down Yancy Street, his steps were a lot slower than normal. Griswald looked at the buildings, but didn't feel as comfortable as he was at Four Freedoms Plaza. In FFP, he played games with Ben and enjoyed being in his company. The only things he disliked were Reed's experiments. Griswald no longer considered Yancy Street to be home.

Ben paused at a building, and remembered all the times he spent with his brother Dan. He missed his brother very much. As if Griswald could somehow sense Ben's emotions, the dog softly whimpered and hung his head low.

"Times may have changed, but the memories keep returning. I wish Dan hadn't been killed in that gang rumble. I wish Ma and Pa were still alive. This is where I usedta live, before things changed fer me."

Ben turned to leave, but thought he heard voices. They belonged to two males.

"Remember, ya got to act tough when around yer friends."

"I follow ya Zanester. Bad enough you know my sensitive side, without the others knowin'."

Griswald's ears perked up when hearing the second voice. It sounded familiar….

Ben walked away from his old apartment building, no longer wanting to be overwhelmed by the past. He took a couple steps, then noticed the leash growing tight.

"Griz? C'mere boy, time to go home."

Griswald didn't listen. That voice he heard, sounded a lot….like Fruity Boy! Could it really be him? With a final strain against the leash, he broke free from Ben's grasps and began to run.

"Griz! Griswald, come back!"


	4. reunion

"I've got ta be tough on the outside, keep my feelings on the inside," Fruity Boy thought to himself. "I thought I wuz immune ta havin' warm feelings, but then I had to go and become attached ta Grizwald."

"Are ya still in yer funk?" Zanester asked, breaking Fruity Boy's train of thought. "If ya want a dog so much, there are others ta be found in New York"

Fruity Boy didn't respond. When he heard a dog barking, the sound didn't register at first. When it did, he only missed Griswald even more.

As the barking grew louder and louder, Zanester looked up and noticed a brown dog coming towards them. "Hey Fruity, heads up! If ya want a dog, one is runnin' towards ya!"

Fruity Boy looked up, and also noticed the brown dog. "Who's be lettin' their dog be runnin' loose like that, with a leash attached to 'im?" he wondered.

Once the dog got close to the two men, he stopped barking. He then cautiously walked around them, sniffing their shoes.

"What is this dog doing?" Fruity Boy asked. "Hey, if I didn't know better, I'd say this dog is Griswald or somethin."

At the mention of his name, Griswald began barking in earnest, and jumping in front of Fruity Boy. The Yancy Streeter felt puzzled by this chain of events. He didn't know if the dog was being friendly, or showing a weird form of aggressiveness.

Zanester took a close look at the dog's leash and collar. "This here is Griswald!" Zanester exclaimed. "Ya got yer wish Fruity Boy! Mebbe he's returned to his true home."

Fruity Boy bend down and held out his hand. "Griswald? Is it really ya?" Griswald leaped into Fruity Boy's lap when hearing those words, and licked the Yancy Streeter's face. "Grizwald, it's so nice seein' ya again!"

Griswald licked Fruity Boy's face some more, but then stopped. Something didn't seem right….

"Y'know, this whole thing seems a little weird Zanester."

"Really, how so?"

"If Griswald's here, then why ain't the Thing with 'im?"

"I am," a rumbling voice sounded from behind. "And it looks like Griz found himself a new friend."

Fruity Boy turned around, while holding Griswald, and noticed the Thing looking at him. "Git outta here Grimm," he stated bitterly. "Git outta here and take yer mutt with ya. This ain't yer terf no more."


	5. Conflict

Ben Grimm took Griswald from the hands of the red-haired man, but didn't move from where he stood. Earlier, he had seen his dog licking the red-head's face, and wondered why that had occurred. Normally, Griswald chose to only lick Ben in that way.

"I don't trust Yancy Streeters, but Griz seems to have taken a likin' to you. Do you two know each other?"

"How do you know he's not just being a friendly dog?" the red-haired man asked

"Griz only licks me that way. I figger it means he knows I'm his owner."

A man with sandy blond hair stepped forward, scowling. "What is the mighty Thing doin' here?" he taunted. "Don'tcha have ta save the world or sumthin'? An' why did you let Griswald run loose in Yancy Street? Me and Fruity Boy would never be so stupid."

"I didn't let Griz run loose, he broke out of my grasp," Ben answered. "As fer the redhead, his name is 'Fruity Boy'? What kinda name is that?!"

"It's a whole lot better than yours," Fruity Boy retorted. "What kinda name is 'The Thing'?"

Ben ignored that last comment, or pretended he hadn't heard it. "I still don't know why Griz likes ya so much."

"It's none of yer business, but if ya really wanna know Grimm, Grizwald likes me 'cause I wuz his first owner," Fruity Boy said. "Mebbe he grew tireda you, which is why he broke outta yer grasp."

"You took care of 'im? A Yancy Streeter? I thought you guys didn't care for no one or no thing."

"Someone had to train the dog so he could learn the route he took ya on, Thing," the sandy blond said. "Griswald recognized Fruity Boy as a friend, and mebbe it wuz the same in reverse."

Ben Grimm frowned. Could Fruity Boy be right about Griswald longing for his Yancy Street life? He didn't want to give back the dog to the Yancy Street Gang, but if doing so would make Griswald happier…

"I have an idea," the sandy blond told Ben. "Since it's unclear who Griswald likes more, a Yancy Streeter or a superhero, we should set Griswald down and let him decide who ta go with!"

Fruity Boy and Ben looked at each other. A challenging look in Fruity Boy's eyes caused Ben to speak first.

"Okay, yer on to sumthin'! I'll sit down in one location, and Fruity Boy will sit in another. Both of us can call to Griswald, and whoever Griz goes to will keep 'im."


	6. Griswald's decision

Ben placed Griswald down, and moved some distance behind the dog. Fruity Boy moved the same distance, in front of Griswald.

"Are you two ready?" the sandy blond asked? After Ben and Fruity nodded, the speaker spoke some more. "Okay, on the count of 3, begin calllin' Griswald by his name!"

Ben's muscles tensed. He hoped the dog would choose him, but the chance did exist that Griswald wanted to return to life on Yancy Steet.

"One, two, three!"

"Here Griswald, C'mere boy," Fruity Boy called.

"C'mere Griz! Remember me? I gave you the hotdogs!"

* * *

At the sound of his name, Griswald started to move towards Fruity Boy. When he heard Ben calling him 'Griz', he turned around and headed in that direction. Fruity Boy then called out Griswald's name again, causing the dog to turn yet again. The poor dog became confused when hearing the various calls over several minutes, and sat down. Griswald didn't know what to do.

"Looks like you two confused 'im," remarked Zanester. "Stop callin' him to ya. Sit quietly, and see who Griswald heads towards."

The voices surrounding Griswald ended. He looked first at Fruity Boy, then at Ben. He remembered the training Fruity Boy gave him, but also had fun memories of Ben in Four Freedoms Plaza. Although Fruity Boy did have a friendly face, Griswald also knew that Yancy Street wasn't his home anymore.

* * *

Ben Grimm closed his eyes. "Please Griz, c'mere to me," he thought. "I have a warm home and take you out on walks. I even share hotdogs with ya. Please don't return to life on the streets." Barking sounded, and Ben assumed Griswald had chosen Fruity Boy over him. With a heavy heart and eyes still closed, Ben turned to leave.

"Where are ya goin', ya big lug?" a Yancy Streeter called out. "Griswald chose you! You're his owner!"

Ben opened his eyes and turned around. Sure enough, he noticed Griswald running towards him. Ben went down on his knees, holding out his arms. Once Griswald came close enough, the dog barked happily and jumped into Ben's arms.

"Griz! You came to me. I-I thought I had lost ya!" Ben said, hugging the dog tightly. "I love you so much!" Ben added, his blue eyes filling with tears. When Ben Grimm loosened his grip, Griswald licked his owner's face.

"Is this really goodbye?" Fruity Boy wondered.

"Naw. You may no longer be Griz's owner, but I'll bring 'im to Yancy Street for some of his walks. You may see Griz again."

Fruity Boy smiled, and held out his hand underneath Griswald's nose. The dog licked Fruity Boy's hand twice.

"Now ya really gotta git outta here Grimm," Fruity Boy said gruffly.

"If the gang sees us like this, you'll be mincemeat fer sure," the sandy blonde added.

Ben set Griswald back down, and grabbed the leash. "Time for us to go home Griz," he said softly. He then walked away from Yancy Street, with the little brown dog by his side. When Ben looked behind him, Fruity Boy and the other Yancy Streeter were gone. Looking forward once more, Ben walked Griswald in the direction of Four Freedoms Plaza.


End file.
